Infectious Disease Alert – April 1, 2009
April 1, 2009
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MRSA Central-Line Bacteremias Decline in U.S. ICUs
Data collected from the CDC's two surveillance systems for hospital-acquired infections tracked the rate of central-line-associated blood stream infections (CLA-BSIs) from 1997-2007. Data were not collected in 2005 during the transition between the two systems. -
In Vitro Activity of Tigecycline Against Rapidly Growing Mycobacteria
In this study, 165 clinical isolates of rapidly growing mycobacteria (including M. abscessus, M. chelonae, M. peregrinum, M. fortuitum, M. mucogenicum, M. mageritense, M. alvei, M. smegmatis, M. porcinum, M. septicum, and M. wolinskyi) were tested for in vitro susceptibility to tigecycline and 10 other antibiotics (erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithro-mycin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, amikacin, tobra-mycin, cefoxitin, doxycycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) using a broth microdilution method. -
A Nutty Idea for Controlling the Spread of Malaria
Malaria ranks among the world's most important infectious diseases. The last year for which good statistics have been amassed, 2006, saw 250 million cases and at least one million deaths. -
That Troublesome Enterococcus
Enterococcus used to be considered the caboose of pathogens; maybe it mattered, but it still was at the far rear. -
Mannose-binding Lectin Concentrations and Susceptibility to Respiratory Infections
This exploratory study investigated the relationship between respiratory infections and MBL serum concentrations and the presence of six SNPs in the MBL2 gene promoter region (alleles H/L, X/Y, and P/Q) and exon 1 (wild type allele A and variant alleles B, C, and D) using real-time PCR. -
Management of War Wounds in Iraq
A retrospective review of one major continental United States (CONUS) tertiary care medical center's plastic surgery department's experience in the management of combat wounds was performed and included all cases seen between April 2003 and December 2005. Of the 68 patients treated, 16.2% sustained injuries to the head/face/neck, 61.8% had lower extremity injuries, 29.4% had upper extremity injuries, 15.6% had both upper and lower extremity injuries, and 35.9% had multiple sites of injuries. -
Acute Mountain Sickness in Children
Faced with limited data about acute mountain sickness in children who travelled rapidly to high altitudes, Swiss researchers studied symptoms in 48 children (ages 10-17, mean age 13) who traveled 2.5 hours from low altitude (568 meters) to 3,450 meters (approximately 11,200 feet). -
Updates by Carol A. Kemper, MD, FACP
An increasing number of reports document transmission of MRSA between humans and animals, including people and their pets, horse trainers, and farm personnel. -
Pharmacology Watch: Warfarin May Be First to Apply Pharmacogenetics
In this issue: Individualization of therapy with pharmacogenetics; the rate vs rhythm debate; the FDA's Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy; FDA actions. -
Clinical Briefs in Primary Care supplement